100 Moments in our life
by Alja
Summary: Mostly short stories under 1000 words for the 100 Royai themes! Prompt 11 Coat: Jean Havoc had been warned twice. Now he was left to pack up in the cold while the Colonel and his Lieutenant drove back to report to the Führer...or do they!
1. Gray Panties

**AN: Hello hello! I finally found the Royai 100 themes and I had a few short short-stories (1000 words) lying around and I thought: Why not? I'm trying to establish a weekly update schedule for my fanfictions in general and whenever I don't have something new (and actually remember to post it), I will post one of those short stories.**

* * *

**Title: Gray Panties**

**Prompt:** A reason to quarrel

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa.

**Dedicated to: **misshermitcrab on tumblr, this was part of her Secret Santa gifts in 2014.

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

Riza's eye twitched dangerously as she gathered the gray laundry - a color she knew quite well neither her nor Roy possessed.

"ROY MUSTANG!"

The Flame Alchemist who rather resembled a sleepy alchemist right now trotted into the kitchen tiredly.

"What is it, Ri?"

"Don't you 'Ri' me today, mister," the blond Lieutenant and roommate glowered at her superior, but her voice stayed even. "I asked you to do the laundry. Care to tell me what this is?"

She threw a piece of laundry at the Brigadier General, it hit his face. Groggily, he brushed the garment off of his face and held it up between his thumbs and forefingers. His eyebrows furrowed.

"I didn't know you owned gray panties. I like the black ones better."

"That's because I don't _own_ grey panties," Riza replied to him, her voice lowering dangerously while she hurled another piece of clothing at him.  
"This is military issued - they are supposed to be _white_! They are grey now because _you_ had the splendid idea to put your new black scarf in there. A black scarf!" The composure vanished from her face now, and frustration took over. "We're in Ishval! Why would you even _need_ a scarf?"

Roy quickly put away the panty and scarf and touched Riza's shoulders timidly.

"Please, calm down. That was an accident. I'm not very domestic, but even I'm not stupid enough to make such an error. The madame shoved some common sense into me, you know?"

Roy pulled her into his arms and Riza huffed in silent agreement to his gesture, burying her head in his shoulder.

"That stuff is military issued. _You_ will fill out the paperwork for that."

"Why? Nobody will know about your gray panties." Roy's eyes darkened and the grip on Riza's shoulders tightened slightly. "And if somebody finds out, so may Ishvala help him for I'm going to make a fire that night."

"Sir, your shirts are gray, too. They are ruined. You _have_ to get a replacement."

He frowned, he had forgotten that. "Alright," Roy added with a loud sigh, "_I_ _will_ fill out the forms. But first, let me make it up to you."

A boyish grin spread on his face as he lowered his lips to her left earlobe. "You know, I just changed the bedding today, and I thought-"

"You thought you could also take over the chore to cook dinner tonight?"

Riza leaned away from his shoulder now and her eyes were as equally filled with amusement as his were filled with disappointment.

"You are too sweet, sir. I'd love to have something Xingese today," Riza added with a quick kiss on his cheek before she took the rest of the laundry and turned to the door.

"Sir? Are you coming?"

Roy sighed. "Yes, Ma'am."  
He knew he deserved it.

* * *

**Short and silly. Most of them probably will be.**


	2. Surprise dinner

**Title: Surprise dinner  
**

**Prompt:** Home cooking

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa.

**Dedicated to: **misshermitcrab on tumblr, this was part of her Secret Santa gifts in 2014.

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

After a long walk in the park with Hayate, Riza returned to her apartment; as she inserted the key, she heart a faint **"Oh snap snap!"** as the smell of cooked beef hit her nose.**  
**

A smile appeared on her lips as she pushed the door open to step into the small hallway, the warm air wafting around her.

Riza knelt down quickly next to her dog, unclasping his leash, as she already heard the low **"Spark spark!"** vibrating through the room.

With a widening grin, Riza slowly strolled into her living room and shrugged out of her sweater, leaving her only in her light-blue summer dress, then let the garment fall onto her couch, listening to the **"It's time to light up-"** that grew louder and louder with each step she took towards the kitchen.

She crossed her arms and leaned against the door frame, glancing into the room that was suddenly illuminated by a small spark immediately followed by two small flames on top of two long, white candles that stood on the set-up dinner table.

The light also illuminated Roy; he stepped around said table, clad in a white dress-shirt and black pants, and neared Riza steadily, black orbs trained on caramel ones. When he had reached her, Roy stretched his arms out, touching her hips lightly. She instantly responded by pushing herself off of the door frame, right into his inviting embrace.

**"-the diggy diggy dark,"** he murmured lowly, nuzzling his nose to hers softly as she laid her arms around his neck.

"Did you cook all by yourself?" she asked him, a hint of a smile in her words and on her lips.

"Just for you," he answered, pulling her even closer to him. Riza scowled playfully.

"Just for me? Poor Hayate hasn't eaten, yet."

She felt his chuckle shake her body.

"I think I have some raw meat left for him, too."

Now she buried her head in Roy's chest and breathed in the scent of his aftershave happily.  
"Roy Mustang?" she bit her lip and tried to keep a straight face while in truth, she fought to suppress a laugh, "I think you just _set my heart on fire_."

Roy froze for a second and Riza started to worry about having said something bad when he suddenly swept her off her feet and tackled her lips in a fierce kiss. Both panted heavily when Roy pulled away slightly, bumping his forehead into hers.  
"You just used the lyrics of my rap! You have _no_ idea how much I love you!"

"Oh I think I know _exactly _how much you love me, considering how you wrapped my legs around your hips just a second ago," she replied rather dryly, but with the hint of a smile on her face. "Come on, let me down. I'm hungry and it smells delicious. Let's get back to _that _later."

Roy chuckled again and lowered her carefully until her legs touched the ground again. He took her hand into his, bowed and kissed her palm chivalrously.  
"May I lead the lady to her seat?"


	3. Demons

**Title: Demons**

**Prompt: **Things one cannot understand

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa.

**Dedicated to:** misshermitcrab on tumblr, this was part of her Secret Santa gifts in 2014.

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

Even the strongest amongst us can feel weak from time to time.

Today, it is me who is feeling weak.

I have no idea how I got through the day. I step through the door into our apartment and the last memory I can recall is of last night, getting to bed, spent from the exhausting day. The place next to me has been cold and empty - Roy had already warned me that morning he might be late and he had insisted I should go home and take every rest I can. For once, I didn't argue with him; no matter how much I despised his decision, I knew he was right and I complied.

Now that I sit down on the couch, already stripped of my military jacket and pants, I regret not remembering whether he was lying next to me in the morning.

I grab the old, worn blanket that lies on the armrest of the couch and wrap it around my bare legs in an attempt to keep the creeping cold away. I pull my legs up onto the couch and slide sideways, laying my body down onto the cold leather. Even though I'm shivering, I could care less as my eyes start to droop slowly.

I don't have it in me to sit up again, to stand up or bother changing into something warm. I feel awfully spent and I hardly realize my mind slipping out of consciousness into a dreamless sleep.

* * *

The first thing I notice as I wake up is the warmth that surrounds me. My head is resting on something fleshy, soft and strong at the same time, and I take some seconds to gather my wits enough to comprehend that my cheek is resting on a clothed thigh and my right hand is grasping its knee gently.

My grip must have wavered just slightly because suddenly, the person that leg belongs to starts to stir himself, his hand touches my head lightly and brushes some stray bangs away from my eyes.

I carefully pull back, away from his warmth which I regret quickly, sit up slightly and will my tired eyes to look into the black orbs that search for answers in mine.

I see the exhaustion in them and I can only assume how hard this day was, and yet, he chose to stay with me instead of resting himself. I see the worry, curiousness and tiredness in them, yet my eyes stay blank and unwilling to answer his questions.

And he understands it.

Instead of trying to persuade me, he extends his arms invitingly and even though I should be happy and glad, a tear runs down my cheek. Whether it is out of sadness or happiness I don't know at this point. I only know that my body is turning around and I am crawling onto my husbands lap now. I lay my head against his chest and he brushes a soft kiss against the crown of my hair while he wraps the second fluffy blanket I have been covered with around both of our bodies

I may have felt lost this morning, this day, this evening, but as he holds me in his arms - warm, strong, with that special scent of his all around me - I feel safe again.

I'm not ready to talk about my demons now. I don't even seem to find the right words to explain them. Maybe I will never be able to talk about them.

Yet, the warmth of his body and the tender brush of his hand over my growing belly remind me that it's okay. It's okay to keep things to myself until I'm ready. He understands me without words and he accepts me, with or without demons for he has his very own.

As long as I have him, everything will turn out alright, no matter how hard the road may seem.


	4. Destruction of Government Property

**Title: Destruction of government property**

**Prompt: **Crime and Punishment

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa.

**Dedicated to:** misshermitcrab on tumblr, this was part of her Secret Santa gifts in 2014.

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

"Führer Grumman? You called for me?"

More anxious than ever, General Roy Mustang peeked into the Führer's private office, a pair of blue-grey eyes scanning him rather seriously.

"Yes, Mustang, please enter."

Roy closed the door behind him quickly and stepped into the office; the Führer gestured him to take the open seat and he complied, though his heart stopped when he saw the person sitting beside of him.

"Lieutenant Colonel!" Roy gasped, gripping the armrests tightly. Riza looked rather disheveled, her cheeks tinted bright red and her jacket was resting on her lap instead of her shoulders, leaving her only in her brown turtle neck. "Are you alright? Have you been hurt? What is this about?!"

"MUSTANG!" the voice of the Führer roared through the room, silencing the upset General immediately. Grumman waited for a few seconds longer until Roy finally leaned back in his chair, but the anxiety was still visible in the fleeting side looks he threw his subordinate.

"Good," Grumman nodded, eying Roy and Riza intently, "now, that you cooled down, we can finally begin. General, I called you here upon an immediate matter, is that right?"

Roy gulped. This had never happened before and it greatly troubled him. He had learned first hand how Grumman handled enemies and he had always hoped to NEVER get on his enemy list. He still answered him with as much strength as he possessed.

"Yes, sir."

"Do you have any idea what that pressing matter might be?"

"No, sir," Roy answered honestly, gears in his head turning, thinking about every part of paperwork he had submitted for the last month. He was quite sure he didn't make a mistake there, Riza still checked his work diligently and he hadn't been in the field for another two months, so he hadn't made a mistake at those missions, either.

"In that case, would you please take a look at Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye? And don't get worked up," Grumman added quickly as Roy already started to rise from his chair to inspect Riza, "she carries no... wounds."

The General flopped down to his chair begrudgingly and looked at the Lieutenant Colonel from head to toe. Apart from her reddened cheeks and her lowered eyes, an expression she hardly ever wore, she looked normal.

Grumman sighed.

"Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye? May I ask for your assistance?"

Riza nodded, hesitantly, and it seemed like her face got even brighter as she cautiously plucked at the left side of her turtleneck. Roy's insides turned as he saw the long, fainted scar she had received on the promised day and he had a hard time to repress the urge to run his fingers along the thin line.

Though, now that he had accustomed to the familiar sight, there was something else right at the beginning of the scar that caught his attention: something purple that made the blood in Roy's face boil now. Something he supposedly must have given her two days ago, during a pretty heavy make-out session...

"Yes, Mustang, exactly. You're in trouble for damaging government property, namely Lieutenant Colonel Hawkeye's neck. The hickey is clearly visible in uniform and it shouldn't be, not under any circumstances."

Now Roy understood why Riza avoided his glance so hard – he did now, too.

"Sir, I-"

"You harmed government property, Mustang. Don't do it again, understand?!" Grumman's voice boomed menacingly through the office and both officers winced like they were teenagers again.

"Yes, sir!" Roy answered quickly, looking up again, though his glance was fastened somewhere behind Grumman's head.

The three of them sat silent for a few minutes, anxiety still lingering over Roy and Riza; after all, they had violated the Fraternization laws, Grumman knew it _and_ Roy had indirectly affirmed it.

Unexpectedly, though, Grumman's mood improved quickly - a wicked grin suddenly formed on the old man's face and it nearly made Roy and Riza, who had looked up finally, flinch even more.

"So, when's the wedding?"


	5. New Year's First Kiss

**Author's note: **Queen Elenya Hawk encouraged me to change the title into something better sounding xD So in case you wondered, this is the "Royai 100 themes", just renamed.  
Also, thanks to the two guests who reviewed, I appreciate it very much :)

**Title: New Year's First Kiss**

**Prompt:** Kiss

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa.

**Dedicated to: **misshermitcrab on tumblr, this was part of her Secret Santa gifts in 2014.

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

"So this is your mother's... establishment?"

Riza rubbed her shoulder anxiously. It had been hardly a year since she'd been deployed in Ishval and she had asked Roy to burn off her tattoo. Her scars were still tender and used to itch horribly whenever she was nervous – and she definitely was now.

"Yes, it is," a deep, male voice answered her and his hand found its way onto her right shoulder blade. "It's just a new year's party. We'll stay a short time and then we'll go up to the rooms that were prepared for us. I won't force you to do anything big, but you need to get out more." It went unsaid that she had shut herself off the outside world after the war. She only went outside for work and Roy was intend to change that.

"Yes, sir," Riza sighed inwardly and tugged on her cardigan. "Does my-," she hesitated for a second and grabbed the cardigan tighter around her body, "does **it** show?"

Roy shook his head and the pressure on Riza's shoulder heightened.

"Come on, let's get this over with."

* * *

"Oh, the air is great out here!" Riza exclaimed excited and spread out her arms. "This is so good. It was way too hot in there."

"Yes, and the mix of perfume was sickening," Roy agreed as he appeared at the trap-door right behind Riza. They had climbed an old, hardly used ladder, hidden inside of one of the broom closets of Madame Christmas's bar, and reached a small balcony that hardly fit two people.  
Riza immediately leaned on the balustrade and gazed over the part of Central that was visible in the dead of night.

"We're quite high up here. The view is beautiful. You can even see Headquarters from here." She felt Roy come up behind her; he laid his hands onto the railing, too, effectively trapping her between the wall and his body, but she didn't care, not this secluded from prying eyes – and the two glasses of wine she had already drained.

"The moon above us looks so beautiful," Riza added, her smile widening as she stared up and leaned slightly against the chest of her old friend. "I can't believe you and Madame Christmas are the only ones that know of this balcony. You must have taken some other women up here before."

"Hey!" Roy protested with a pout she couldn't see and pressed his cheek onto her short, soft hair, "Why would I lie to you? You know you and my mother are the only people on this planet I'm completely honest with."

Both were silent for a short while, enjoying each other's company, but a shiver ran down Riza's spine and Roy's arms wrapped around her delicate form.  
"You are cold. We should go back inside."  
"No!" she quickly objected and turned in his arms, her brown eyes searching for the black ones above her. "Let us stay a little longer, please."  
Roy's dark eyes softened and before Riza could protest, he shrugged off his jacket and draped it over her shoulders.

"Now you're going to freeze," she commented with a frown on her forehead and Roy kissed the frown quickly, causing her to blush.

"Don't worry, I've brought a bottle of Christmas's best wine. It'll warm me up just fine."

Wordlessly, Riza wrapped her arms around Roy's torso tightly and leaned into his chest.  
"This will only help for a short time. We should enjoy the moon and the stars some more and head inside, soon."

Roy looked down, startled, his cheeks tinted red. He caught himself quickly, though, returning the hug eagerly.

"It's alright," he whispered softly, and he felt his heart skip a beat, "I'm warm now. We'll stay until the fireworks start."

He tilted his head down to her, his famous boyish grin on his lips.  
"You do realize I'm the only one available for new year's first kiss, don't you, Warrant Officer?"

Just as Riza looked up to him, the first fireworks took off and the celebration some floors underneath them indicated that 1910 had just started.  
"I do," she murmured, staring up at him with half lidded eyes as his lips neared hers slowly, embracing them for the first kiss in the new decade.


	6. In the dead of the night

**Title: In the Dead of the Night** (I'm so creative, right?!)

**Prompt:** In the dead of the night

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa.

**Also posted for Royai week's prompt "Dreams".**

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

_Darkness. Cold. Silence._

_He wandered aimlessly around. Straight ahead, never turning left or right. Not, that they existed in this never-ending darkness._  
_Goosebumps appeared all over his skin - even though he wore his thick, woolen uniform, the cold crept mercilessly into his bones, slowing him down, each step along his way getting slower and slower._

_He had no idea where his hike was leading him._

_His legs burned, the strain of the walk and the cold making it near impossible for him to continue. His legs didn't obey his mind, however, and so he looked down (as if that would help him), only to realize that it hasn't been the cold that made his legs burn._

_Actual flames did._

_Suddenly, his clothes were covered in flames. The color returned into the nothingness he had been standing in and it revealed a never-ending sea of sand and dust._

_Ishval._

_Darkness turned to bright colors, blinding his eyes. Cold turned to heat, seeping in from his burning clothes and the hot sun right above him. Silence turned to the screaming of children, gurgling of shot adults, flickering of flames that consumed everything until they finally consumed him..._

* * *

Roy sat up with a start, drenched with sweat. His eyes took a few seconds to adjust and a relieved sigh escaped his lips.

He was in his bed. The window of his bedroom was open and a slight breeze moved the curtains and cooled down his wet, overheated body as he ran his hand through his moist hair.

It was only a dream.

He shot one wistful look to his right, aware of the fact that this side of his bed would be empty tonight.  
Where once lay his beautiful, most trusted Lieutenant, was only the bunched up blanket he had abandoned during his nightmare. It has always been dangerous for them to meet, to share any time, intimate or not, in his small house on the edge of Central City. But now that Riza had been appointed to Führer Bradley, their clandestine meetings had ceased.  
Roy sighed again as he flopped onto his back, swaying softly on the mattress, and covered his eyes with his arm.

He knew he would not find sleep again after a nightmare like this. He was way too accustomed to call her in the dead of night, back, when they were still cautious, and then, when the last barriers had finally fallen, he would hold her close and find his face nuzzled into the bare crook of her neck, or into her long, flowing hair, her scent all around him and lulling him into sleep...He sat up with a start once again and scrambled out of his bed.

If he wasn't mistaken, then, in his bathroom- Yes!

In the middle of his cabinet, there stood a small flask, cut in a briolette-cut. The top was pitch black, but changed into red and finally yellow over the course of the glass.  
Roy stretched out his hand, touching the flask softly, nearly caressing it as if it were its owner, before he picked it up and returned to the bedroom.

There, he spritzed his pillow once and wrapped his blanket like a cocoon around his body until he lay down back on his pillow, and he allowed sleep to take over him again.

He had no idea that at the other end of the City, a certain blond Lieutenant had woken up as well, and that she now, too, lay back down on her bed, but only after having exchanged her pajamas for an old, over-sized T-shirt of her former superior.


	7. Life is Unfair

**Title: Life is Unfair  
**

**Prompt: **Infectious crying

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa. Mention of (possible) terminal disease and suicide. No character death. This serves as a contribution to Royai week's prompt "Rain".

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

"Yes. Thank you. Monday 8 am. I'll be there. Goodbye."

Riza hang up the receiver slowly, eyes focused on something far behind the wall she was staring at.

"Riza?"

Roy appeared at the door of the hallway, sleeves rolled up to his elbows, the first three buttons of his shirt undressed and a large bowl in his hands. It was his turn to cook.

"What's wrong?" he asked now, placing the bowl with the big balloon whisk and pancake batter on the side table and his hands around her waist. After a deep breath, Riza turned her head to him with a smile on her lips that did not reach her eyes.

"The results of my medical examination is there," she told him, fake smile still on her lips. She did not sneak her arms around his neck, which worried Roy - she always reciprocated his touch, especially in the sanctuary of their home. Instead, her hands unwound Roy's hands softly and she took hold of the abandoned pancake batter and silently went back into the kitchen, Roy on her tail.

She started to whip the batter now, a little more forceful than needed, her eyes glued to the bowl.

"Riza-," Roy started again and embraced her from behind, resting his head on her shoulder, but she shook him off violently.

"Don't!"

She turned around to him and the look in her eyes scared him to the bone.

"Riza Mustang, tell me what's wrong immediately."

She turned back to the bowl, but she didn't whip the batter now. Roy saw how her left hand clung to the work plate, while her right hand tried to brush a strand of her hair behind her ear, but it shook to violently.

"Riza," he started again, softly, his voice barely a whisper as he stepped up to the work plate himself, leaning onto it with his hip, "what happened?"

She didn't meet his eyes when she answered.

"They found a lump in my breast."

Both let it sink in for a minute. At last, Roy grasped Riza's still shaking hand, and this time, she didn't pull away.

"Let's go sit down," he murmured, more to himself, and tugged Riza after him, but she willingly followed until they reached their living room and sat down onto the soft leather couch in there.

With a clap of his hands and a snap of the lighter in his trousers, Roy lighted a fire in the fireplace and it helped him ease instantly. He always relaxed with the quiet sizzling of fire in the background.

He turned back to his wife whose face was obscured by her golden bangs which suddenly seemed to shine less. He hadn't let go of her hand and now held it in both of his hands tightly.

"A lump in your breast?"

She nodded.

"Further examinations are scheduled for Monday."

"It could be a cyst."

"It could be cancer."

Roy cringed at that, and if that word itself wasn't enough, Riza had raised her head now.

"I'm 44, Roy. Father died when he was 45."

He reached for her cheek, she denied him again.

"Mother died when she was 27. Father never told me what it was. She suffered through so much pain, I never really thought back, but what if that was cancer as well? What if I inherited it? I don't even know for sure why Father died!"

Her head lolled forward, right into Roy's shoulder, and against better judgment, he pulled her close. She didn't budge this time.

"What are we going to do? Dear Ishvala, our children are so young, they don't deserve to have their mother taken from them. What kind of mother misses her daughter's wedding? I don't want Elizabeth to go through that as well."

She reached for the fabric of his shirt and held on tightly.

"I should have never given birth. I don't deserve children and now I might have brought this upon them, what kind of mother am I?"

"Stop it, now."

Roy lowered his head and buried his nose in Riza's soft hair, breathing in deeply.

"You are a great mother. Your children adore you. And you don't even know if it is cancer. It could be a cyst, it will be removed and everything is alright again. I'm here, we are here."

He felt the rain on his bare chest, just a few drops.

"What if it _is_ cancer?"

"We'll treat it. There is so much research, medical and alchemical. The first patient has been cured last year. You are not doomed to die, you know."

"What if they have to amputate my whole breast?"

"You know I'm more of a leg man."

Finally, _finally_ she chuckled. It was oft and bitter sweet, followed by sniffling, but she had chuckled. He started to caress her hair.

"What if I lose all of my hair through the treatment?"

"I could shave off my hair, too."

She snorted now and a slight grin formed on Roy's lips, too.

"Remember the time you set your hair on fire? Please spare the world of your hairless head."

"Come on, it's not that bad.

"Yes, it is."

They fell back into silence. By now, Riza had shifted in his arms enough so that she could watch the glistening flames together with Roy. He rubbed soothing circles into her back and she listened to his strong, steady heart beat.

"Roy?"

He pressed a kiss to her forehead.

"Yes?"

"I'm scared."

"Me too."

"I don't want to die."

His hold on her fastened. He knew how much both of them had wanted to die once in their lives. They had wished for death, they worked towards their certain execution and, if he could trust Catalina, both, he and Riza had tried to commit suicide once in their lives.

But not now. Not, when two small children needed them. Not, when he was still working to create a democracy. Not, when they finally had restored Ishval.

And the rain fell mercilessly.

* * *

**I apologize. This is a mix of personal experiences, thoughts on the topic, my favorite sitcom and a quote from "How I met your mother". Once it was on my mind, it had to get out.**


	8. It won't go away

**Title: It won't go away**

**Prompt: **The scent of blood

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa.

**Author's note: **The story takes place roughly a year after Ishval, when everyone has settled down after the war and Team Mustang has been formed the way it exists in the canon. Since she wanted to read more stories in this time frame, this is dedicated to** The Flame and Hawk's eye**.

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

As he stepped outside of the stuffy grocery store into the cool, pleasant June breeze, Roy Mustang decided that this was a spectacular evening for a date.

Except he wasn't going on a date. At least not in the traditional sense. For he would never admit that he'd love tonight to be a date. Instead, it was going to be a nice evening between old friends, talking, laughing, eating. He could only imagine how desperately she needed it.

Freshly bathed and suited up, a bag of groceries dangling from his left hand, he had finally arrived at the door his "date" lived behind and he raised his hand to knock in his very own way, once, skip a heart beat, knock three more times, skip a heart beat again and knock for the last time.

After a few seconds, he heard the soft thud of someone leaning against the door, followed by a faint clicking of metal which he assumed to be the safety of a gun being put on again.

The keys turned in the lock and the door opened slowly to reveal Warrant Officer Riza Hawkeye, her hair still damp from the shower she had taken a moment before, and her eyes looking grumpily at her superior.

"Lieutenant-Colonel."

He was surprised, to say the least, when he looked down at her torso and recognized his old, military academy issued sweater, all with the small burn hole he had caused when learning to control his flames. He had forgotten it at the Hawkeye house when he had to return to duty and he anticipated that she would have simply tossed it out.

"How can I help you, Lieutenant-Colonel?"

Her slightly annoyed voice brought him back to reality.

"Hawkeye!" he answered her halfhearted greeting with a wide grin, but she only scoffed and crossed her arms over her chest. He couldn't help but check her appearance again and note that his sweater was long enough to function as a short dress. Her legs were bare apart from the fluffy slippers at her feet, the once full and toned legs he had seen in their adolescence unnaturally skinny.

She had lost weight even though they've returned from Ishval 6 months ago. It troubled him.

"Hawkeye!" he said again, flashing her a fake smile as he leaned his arm against the door frame, "you couldn't have forgotten our appointment, could you?"

"Appointment?" Her eyes light up in remembrance.

"You've been serious?!"

"Of course I've been serious," he answered her indignantly and pushed through between the door and her, effectively letting himself inside.  
"I don't talk lightly about this stuff, Hawkeye. I'm really concerned."

And he was. He knew how he had spent most of the evenings right after Ishval - at home, only a bottle of Whisky keeping him company. Hadn't Hughes intervened, that would be still his daily routine instead of his weekly one.  
"You never go out. You need human interaction, but you refuse to go out. This won't end well."

"You dripping tomato sauce all over my carpet won't end well either, sir."

With a start, Roy looked down at the bag of groceries he was carrying, and indeed, the carton with the sun-dried tomatoes must have ripped.

"Shit! I'm so sorry, I-"  
"The kitchen is to the right. I'll go get decent."

Before he could react, Riza had closed what he presumed to be her bedroom door in front of his nose and left him alone in the hallway. Not wanting to ruin her carpet further, he followed her instructions and found the kitchen where he started to unpack his bags.

Well, at least she hadn't thrown him out.

_"Tomorrow evening, I'll come over. 7 pm sharp. I'll bring food, we'll cook and we'll have fun. And if you don't laugh, I'll order you to laugh"_, he had told her yesterday, when they were the only two people left in the office. She had shot him a quizzical glance, but he had refrained from acknowledging it.

At least the rest of his groceries was intact and he lined up the ingredients on her small counter top. Unsure how to act about the spill he caused, he fetched a kitchen towel that was lying around and sprayed it with a little water and dish soap before returning to the hallway.

Riza was already there, though. She had slipped on a pair of sweatpants and was now crouched over the red spot, rubbing it fiercely with a piece of cloth on her own.

"I'm really sorry, Hawkeye. I'll pay for it."

"It's fine," she answered him as she leaned back to swipe the back of her hand across her forehead with the hand that held the dirty cloth. Roy immediately extended his arm to help her stand and she took it willingly. "I hate the carpet anyways. Who needs a carpet in their hallway?"

She lead him back into the kitchen and stared at her counter top.

"So you were serious yesterday?

"Yep."

"And now we're going to cook?"

"Yep."

"There's no way out?"

"Nope."

"Alright, what dish did you have in mind?"

He grinned. "I had planned bolognese. It'll have to simmer for an hour at least to unfold its aroma, but it'll be worth the wait. But well, it won't do without tomatoes..."

Riza had already started to rummage through her cupboards and drawers to find a pot, two knives and a cutting board. "I think I got a can in the cupboard on your right."

They silently started to work on the dish - Roy peeled the vegetables while Riza sautéed the ground beef and chopped the vegetables Roy was done with. Soon, the small apartment was filled with the smell of beef and onions and it felt strangely _homely_ \- her presence alone and the silent chop of the knife and sizzle of the beef made Roy feel more at ease than he had for many weeks.

"Damn!"

He whirled his head around. Riza had put her finger between her lips, sucking lightly.  
"I cut myself," she explained and as Roy made room to let her rinse her finger in the sink, she shook her head.

"I'll go to the bathroom. I got band-aids there. Would you watch out for the meat?"

He had barely nodded when she had already disappeared, leaving him alone once again. His eyebrows knitted together as he added the last vegetables to the simmering meat.

Hopefully, she would lighten up a little during the evening.

When the meat and vegetables had achieved his desired state of browning, Roy dipped the can of tomatoes into the pan and added some of the herbs and spices before he put the lid on. Now they had an hour left and he wondered whether he should start preparing the dessert he had kept a secret from Riza until now, when he realized that she hadn't returned from the bathroom.

With a sinking stomach, he lowered the heat on the stove and returned to the hallway which held three doors he hadn't stepped through yet. He assumed the first door to lead into the bedroom and the third door was wide open, leading into the sparsely but neatly furnished living room. That left door number 2.

"Riza?" he asked hesitantly and knocked on the door first, "are you feeling unwell?"

She didn't answer, but he heard the water run from the tap in the background. Maybe she had fainted - he hadn't heard of Riza being unable to see blood, but who knew just how much she had changed through the war?

He opened the door slowly, gently, giving Riza the opportunity to maintain her privacy if she wished so, but he didn't meet any resistance. Instead, he saw her stand in front of the sink, washing her hands.

Something was off.

She had been too long in here. The mirrors had steamed up already and the room felt stuffy.

"Riza, are you alright?"

He stepped up next to her and glanced down. She was scrubbing her hands furiously with a small brush and the intensity of the scrubbing seemed to have cracked the skin on her hands here and there.

"Riza, stop!"

She shook her hand.

"There's blood. I need to get it off."

His heart fell. "Riza, your hands are clean. There is no blood."

"Yes, there is. I can smell it. It won't come off."

With a sullen expression on his face, he tried to grasp her hands, to stop her scrubbing, but he yanked his hand back instantly. The water was scolding hot. He reached for the tap and turned the hot water off to let cold water run over her fingers.

"Stop it, go away!"

"Riza, you're burning yourself-"

"The blood won't come off this way!"

"Riza, there is no blood."

He turned the water off now and tried to take Riza's hands into his, but she shied away. Instead, he grabbed her shoulders.

"No, I can smell it, it's there. I need to get it off-"

"Riza, if you continue like that, you'll bleed for real."

Her agitated breathing slowed for a second and it seemed as if her far-away look focused on Roy's eyes before her gaze dropped to her hands.

They were as red as the sauce that had dripped in the hallway. The skin was cracked here and there and started to bleed slightly. Roy closed his hands around hers and felt the inhuman heat radiate from them.

"I see it," she whispered, and if she hadn't looked up again, Roy might have missed the soft sobs that escaped the young woman in front of him, "I see blood on my hands constantly. I can smell it when it gets dark. I see all the faces of the Ishvalans I've murdered and I hear their screams at night and-"

She didn't finish. Roy had already pushed her head against his shoulder gently where she started to cry openly.

He had had no idea what she had been going through. But he was glad - glad that he chose to visit her that night.


	9. Wounds

**Title: Wounds**

**Prompts: **Pain &amp; Wounds

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa.

**Dedicated to: **misshermitcrab on tumblr, this was part of her Secret Santa gifts in 2014.

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

A loud hiss escaped Roy's lips as his First Lieutenant was leaning over him, her nimble hands working over his naked abdomen.  
"I'm sorry sir," Riza answered solemnly, drawing back her fingers for a second before she touched his skin again, albeit even more delicate than before.

This has become their daily routine.

At exactly 3 pm, Riza would put away any folder she might be working on at the moment and screw her pen closed. Even before she could rise, the door of the Colonel's private office was open already, Roy's disheveled hair sticking out as he poked through the doorway.

"Lieutenant?" he would always ask as to not raise any suspicion in his team that, thanks to the wound Lust had inflicted on Havoc, has been decimated by one, "could you lend me a hand for a second?"

"Yes, sir," she would answer quickly, having an excuse to follow him into the small room and close the door behind her. She would always lock it, just in case; both knew their co-workers were far from noisy, but it was a precaution nevertheless should someone unexpected try to barge in – and with Edward Elric one never knew.

So when Riza was just about to lock the door, Roy would already start to shrug out of his military jacket, hands working swiftly with the buttons of his shirt afterward. Only when his shirt joined the jacket on his chair, he could finally lie down back first onto the couch, waiting for what would happen next.

Riza, of course, was already prepared, ointment and dressing material on hand. She would always put the ointment on his wound, gently massaging the scarred skin to keep it as smooth and flexible as possible.

It had gotten better, sure, but it still hurt and the improvements seemed to come to a halt. Now it was all about keeping the skin disinfected, mineralized and covered.

"I'm about to put on the compress, sir."

She gently laid the big gauze on the ointment and Roy immediately held onto the gauze to keep it in place when Riza would fixate it with a bandage. His fingers brushed her gently during this action and their eyes connected for a second before Riza tore away her eyes, reaching into the box while Roy sat up again to alleviate Riza's work.

It didn't escape the attention of either of them that Riza sat way too close to Roy as she wrapped the bandage around him. Her clothed chest brushed against his every time her arms were around his back, switching the roll of cloth from the right to the left hand.

After she finished, she gently checked the correct fit of her work, her fingers flitting over the skin once more, too sensually for the task, and the feeling raised goosebumps on Roy's arms.

"I think I'm done, sir," Riza started a little reluctantly, eyes trained on the bandage so she didn't have to look into his eyes. She knew what she would find there and she'd be damned if she gave into it, especially in this place.

"Thank you, Hawkeye," Roy murmured after a silent pause, grasping her upper arm to steady himself as he gave her a soft kiss into her forehead, barely brushing her skin.

"We should get back to work." Those words were a sign for Riza that it was safe again to move, to look into his eyes and to raise from the couch.

"Yes sir," she answered him professionally and helped him back into his shirt and jacket carefully before heading back to work as if nothing had happened.


	10. Back to the East

**Title: Back to the East**

**Prompt: **Promise

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa.

**Dedicated to:** misshermitcrab on tumblr, this was part of her Secret Santa gifts in 2014.

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

"So, this is our last night in Ishval."

Absentmindedly, Roy caressed the back of Riza's neck with long, gentle strokes up and down her spine. She lay half sprawled over him, her head resting on his chest and her left leg hooked over his. She reciprocated his soft touches, drawing small patterns onto his stomach.

"Yes, it is, sir," she replied quietly, suppressing a sigh.

Two years have passed after the Promised Day and they were a hard two years. Too many hardships have been thrown upon them. The desert had desperately been trying to claim the land back and the first months were spent mostly to irrigate the land enough to start recultivating wheat and cotton. The mistrust by the Ishvalans was another major set back for the operation and endangered Roy's life more than once, forcing the whole team to operate very cautiously and finally having him protected for 24 hours a day. They worked through all of it, though, and now they were finally making progress. The first harvest was rich, the over-all trust in the military and especially Roy and Riza was rather high and it was time to start giving independence back to the Ishvalans.

"So we're back to East City, right?" Roy asked, his hand now playing with the short strands of hair at the base of Riza's neck. Thanks to the slight layer of sweat on her body, they were starting to curl a little and even though Roy thought it looked rather cute on her, he missed the long tresses he could draw his hands through.

"Yes, sir," Riza answered again in a low voice, closed her eyes as she stopped caressing Roy's stomach and grasped his shoulder to pull herself closer to him.

Ishval wasn't the place for the 'Hero of Ishval' and the 'Hawk's eye' anymore.  
No matter how much good they were able to bring upon the Holy Land, it would never be equal to the suffering they had caused in the first place. This was as much as Roy and Riza were able to do – now it was up to Scar, Colonel Miles, and his subordinates to survey the progress the land would be making. With the rebuilding finished and the land instated as official trading point, it was only a matter of time to find out whether the efforts had been justified or in vain – now it was up to Amestrians and Ishvalans to try and find a way to trust each other again for the future to work out.

"And back to separate apartments," Roy concluded as he stopped his caresses and lay his arm motionlessly around Riza's shoulders.

She didn't answer him this time; instead, she buried her face in his chest while the grip of her left hand on his right shoulder tightened.

Back in East City, one of the first things waiting for them would be Roy's promotion to Major General as a reward for his hard and progressive work in Ishval. Even though he climbed the ladder slowly but steadily, East City was safe – with all Bradley sympathizers out of the way, he was in no particular harm, especially compared to Ishval.

There would be no need for Roy to have his personal bodyguard with him 24/7. And this meant there would be no excuse for the pair to share an apartment.

Both shivered, not sure whether the sweat on their bodies cooled them too much or the prospect of having to give up this kind of intimacy was getting to them finally.

Roy gently tugged up the blanket, covering both of them with the thin sheet, and drew Riza even closer to him.

"It will work out."

Riza looked up, surprised, and her glance only met Roy's chin as his head was facing the ceiling. She gently touched his jaw, covered in a slight stubble, and he looked down to her touch, the position giving him a slight double-chin that made Riza smile inwardly.

"It will work out," he repeated, his eyes resolved, "we'll figure this out."

His hand started petting her blond hair now and Riza couldn't help but smile slightly. She pulled herself up a little, just enough to be able to reach his lips with her own, giving him a short peck.

It happened quickly and caught Roy by surprise, but he mirrored her smile and ran his hand down her back again, resting it over the transmutation circle permanently etched onto her smooth skin.

"We'll find a solution," he gently rolled over, his body now covering Riza's entirely, but she didn't mind one bit. Instead, she wound her arms around his back, foreheads bumping, while he continued.

"We'll definitely find a solution, I promise. Let's not fret, let's enjoy what we have left now, alright?"

Riza nodded slightly and as both opened their eyes again, she saw Roy quickly blink away a traitorous moisture in his eyes. She quickly kissed his lips again and lingered on them for a while until she felt Roy's back relax.

"Yes," she finally answered him as they parted lips and ran her nose along his jaw down to his neck. Before she started brushing soft kisses along his throat, she hopefully added, "we will work this out... Roy."


	11. Freezing Cold

**Title: Freezing Cold**

**Prompt:** Coat

**Disclaimer:** All characters belong to Hiromu Arakawa.

**Dedicated to: **misshermitcrab on tumblr, this was part of her Secret Santa gifts in 2014.

**Please enjoy!**

* * *

"Colonel, I'm freezing!"

Riza's eyes twitched dangerously as she shifted her attention to the only blonde in her group apart from herself. He had wrapped his coat tightly around his shivering frame, nose nearly dripping. She suppressed the urge to shake her head - he should have known to dress appropriately.

"You should have known to dress appropriately," the Flame Alchemist murmured grumpily, not daring to avert his eyes from the target he was observing with a pair of binoculars.

"I told you we'd be outside most of the time and the Lieutenant told you to put on something warm for the weather would change. You obviously ignored two higher ranking officers' information at once! Well done, Havoc!"

Jean only sulked in response, rubbing his freezing hands together, when Roy got a signal in his ear-piece.

"What? Really? I see. Alright, the operation is canceled. Retreat to headquarters."

Roy lowered the binoculars and looked back at his sharp shooters. "The operation has been canceled-"

"Gee, who wo-would have thought th-that?" he was directly interrupted by Jean whose teeth started chattering by now, but ignored him.

"The target is innocent. Havoc, pack up here. Hawkeye, follow me, we have to return to headquarters directly to inform the Führer."

"Wait, what?!" Jean looked like he was about to cry. "I can come with you, chief! Hawkeye will kill me if I dissemble her rifle incorrectly."

"Then I'd advise you to do it correctly," Roy replied dryly, unaffected by the pleading of his subordinate. He caught Riza's eyes and both nodded and started heading to the door. Before going through, Riza turned back shortly, sympathy filling her eyes only slightly.

"Sorry, Havoc, but I _did_ warn you. Take a hot bath at home and drink some warm tea."

She followed Roy through the door into the building again and both spent the walk through the bureau complex they used as a temporary hideout and up to the car silently. It was only inside of the car, after he had rubbed his hands together, that Roy spoke up again.

"Lieutenant. I'm cold and my lips are all chapped. Do something."

Riza turned her head to the left, mouth slightly open from astonishment.

"You don't _honestly_ want to tell me that's the sole reason you left Havoc in the cold?"

"But Lieutenant," he whined, pushing his lower lip out in a pout as he slid closer to her, "I'm _really_ cold. And my lips are _really_ chapped! Are you sure there's nothing you could do to help me?"

"Sir, you're wearing two scarfs, a bonnet and Madame Christmas's infamous handknit sweater that would keep you warm in a snow storm in Briggs. You can't _honestly_ tell me you left Havoc out there in his mere uniform and summer coat just so you could get a kiss from me?" She shook her head incredulously.

"And not to forget, I remember your Lieutenant not only warning Havoc, but also telling _you_ to use a lip balm for your dry lips."

He pulled his lip back in, the corners of his mouth dropping, and shoved his hands back into his coat to warm them. Riza sighed audibly and reached into the inside of her winter coat. It only took her two seconds before her fingers grasped the lip balm she was looking for and she gingerly and abundantly applied it to her lips. She felt her superiors eyes stare at her intently, but she didn't let herself get distracted and put away the balm again. She turned back to Roy, who now had chosen to stare at the road until his Lieutenant was finally inclined to start up the car, before she put her still slightly cold hands onto his cheeks.

Roy winced at the cold feeling and his body turned back to her, now clearly intrigued by her actions. Before he could ask any questions, Riza had already lowered her lips onto his and kissed him gently, massaging his lips until Roy decided to deepen the kiss. Riza put her hand onto his chest immediately and pushed him back gently.

"I've applied some balm onto your lips now, sir. Please remember to do it by yourself from now on."

He grinned in response. "I'm afraid I'm awfully forgetful. You might need to take over this chore again."

Riza had already turned to the road again and turned the ignition key.

"Very well. But please, don't do it at the expanse of Havoc or any other of your subordinates again."

Roy shrugged. "He didn't listen to your advice. I'll give him tomorrow off, though, if it eases your mind."

"That is a very generous and reasonable offer, sir," she answered him with a slight smile and leaned over to kiss him again, allowing him to have his way this time.


End file.
